Help my Mam drive post surgery :)

Hello friends, as some of you may know my Mam Ruth was diagnosed with a rare disease in 2019 called PVNS. It’s a non-cancerous tumour usually found in the knee or hip that affects only 2 in 1 million people. My mam however has tumours growing all around her left ankle, she had her first surgery in January of 2021 after waiting a dangerous amount of time due to the strain placed on the HSE during the pandemic. By this time her tumour had gotten so large she could hardly walk or drive and was living a fairly isolated existence.

It took my Mam at least 6 months to walk again and a year to confidently come down the stairs. She has left her position in Women’s Aid where she had been working for over 10 years - to look after her health.

Just when it seemed she was nearing the end of recovery, a follow up scan revealed that her tumours in her left ankle had come back. Again - the surgery will be extensive, involving many incisions and the removal and reattachment of ligaments to ensure all the tumours are gone. While the tumours hopefully won’t be as big the second time around her ankle isn’t getting any stronger.

My mam drives a pretty banged up small manual car that’s 16 years old. It’s about to fail any day now (for the last 2 years) and while it’s amazing it’s still going, it’s becoming impossible for my mam to use the clutch. She has been granted a disability disc for free parking which has been an absolute god sent as it’s the only comfortable way she can have a bit of freedom.

While there are many adjustments around the house and expensive medical fees I wish I could pay for her, I know the biggest difference to her life now and for the future would be an automatic car. She’s an incredibly social person and I would hate to see her stuck at home for a year while she’s in recovery, and perhaps longer due to the expense.

So I would like to ask anyone who has something to contribute towards an automatic car for her that no matter how small it will be greatly appreciated, even spreading the word could make all the difference. Any money not spent on her needs during this time will be donated towards research for PVNS.

Thank you for reading xxx